The invention concerns a lift for an aircraft, an aircraft segment with a corresponding lift and a method for stowing freight items in an aircraft.
Efficient loading and unloading of aircraft has always been a critical process. The operators of wide-bodied aircraft aim to optimize this process such that the time spent thereon is minimized, in order to save costs. However passengers frequently carry with them numerous and widely varying freight items (e.g. suitcases) and want secure transport of their freight items.
A further problem which occurs on air transport of freight items for passengers is that even handover of freight items is undesirable for many passengers. The passenger would prefer to take all freight items or luggage with him into the passenger cabin in order to have access to these luggage items at any time. Lengthy handover of freight items at check-in can then be omitted. Also this gives the passenger the advantage that on leaving the aircraft, he need not wait for his luggage to be unloaded and finally delivered to him. A trend is therefore appearing in which more and more freight items are being carried in the passenger cabin. Existing passenger cabins however often do not have sufficient capacity to take all these freight items. Even when the freight items can be received in the passenger cabin by the provision of sufficient storage space, substantial problems arise not least for aircraft operators. Firstly the luggage must be examined very precisely to avoid risk of terrorist attacks. Secondly incorrect stowage of luggage items or freight items can lead to injury to passengers. Finally the provision of corresponding storage space leads to very little space remaining in the passenger cabin for the passengers. This often has a negative effect on the wellbeing of passengers.
To take at least partial account of these problems, WO 2007/051593 proposes providing suitable freight containers directly at the entrance to the aircraft which can be loaded by the passengers. These freight containers are then brought into the cargo hold of the aircraft, transported in the aircraft and after landing re-arranged so that the passengers can collect their own freight items. During flight however there is no access to the freight items.
DE 10 2010 013 219 describes a freight loading system which allows deposit and retrieval of freight items in the cabin. The system is expensive and retrieval of a specific freight item can take considerable time.
DE 10 2009 012 998 A1 discloses an annular freight conveyor device for storage and transport of freight items. This is preferably used for storage and provision of meals. The conveyor device has two loading openings, wherein one of the openings opens into the passenger cabin and another is accessible from the outside.
Starting from this prior art, in particular DE 10 2010 013 219, the object of the present invention is to provide a lift for better equipment of an aircraft so that a more comfortable and efficient transport of freight items can take place. Furthermore the process of loading and unloading the cargo hold is simplified. Overall it enables the passengers to deposit their freight items as quickly and easily as possible, while retaining access to these at any time.
This object is achieved by a lift, an aircraft segment and a method according to the respective claims therefor.
In particular the object is achieved by a lift for an aircraft which comprises:
at least one receiver compartment, in particular a lift cabin, to receive a freight item, in particular a suitcase and/or a bag;
at least one first opening and at least one second opening for loading and/or unloading the lift, wherein the first opening opens into a passenger cabin and the second opening into a cargo hold;
characterized by
at least one guide ring in relation to which the receiver compartment is arranged rotationally mobile such that the receiver compartment is displaceable along the guide ring, in particular in a rotation movement about a rotation axis.
According to the application the guide ring and/or conveyor ring can be an open or closed ring. For example the ring can extend over 45, 90, 100, 120, 180 (half open), 220, 270, 300 or 360 (closed) degrees. To this extent it could be called a guide ring segment. According to the application the guide ring need not necessarily be formed circular but can have an elliptical form or any other form with one or more curved segments. Consequently the rotation movement can take place about several rotation axes running parallel to each other. For example the guide ring could also have a substantially rectangular design with rounded corners.
The lift can successfully be used for receiving freight items in the passenger cabin of an aircraft and delivering these again as required. Furthermore the lift can be used to transport the freight items to and fro between separate compartments, for example a passenger cabin and a cargo hold. Because of the annular design of the lift, this can be installed particularly efficiently in an aircraft, in particular close to the outer skin of the aircraft, so that the interior of the aircraft can be utilized optimally. In particular it is conceivable to arrange the lift between the ribs and/or frames which are necessary in conventional aircraft as supporting structures. To this extent previously unused cavities can be used for stowage and transport of freight items. By means of the lift according to the invention it is also possible to utilize unused cavities in the bilge areas of the aircraft.
The lift can comprise at least one guide ring or a first guide ring segment and at least one second guide ring or second guide ring segment, wherein the receiver compartment is arranged between the guide rings, in particular in a sliding block guide. To this extent it is conceivable to use the guide rings or guide ring segments as side limitations for the receiver compartment or to suspend individual lift cabins which form the receiver compartment between the guide rings.
In one embodiment at least one conveyor ring can be provided which is arranged, in particular rotationally mobile, between the guide rings and comprises at least one subdivision segment to form the at least one receiver compartment. The subdivision segment or segments can be arranged on the inside (side facing the rotation axis). Preferably they extend perpendicular to the tangential plane and/or the torque of the rotation movement. Finally it is conceivable to form the conveyor ring as a continuous conveyor which runs circular or elliptical. For example individual segments of this conveyor ring can form the rear wall of a receiver compartment, wherein the individual subdivision segments delimit the receiver compartments at the top and bottom. Furthermore it is conceivable for a freight item on handover to be deposited on one of the subdivision segments. On transport of the freight item, this subdivision segment then is lowered or raised as part of the rotation movement of the conveyor ring.
To this extent the individual receiver compartments can be formed by very few and very robust components. It is conceivable to form the conveyor ring from a flexible material, for example an elastomer.
As already explained, a multiplicity of subdivision segments can be provided which are arranged such that the subdivision segments in each case in pairs delimit a receiver compartment (top and bottom).
Secondly it is conceivable to provide a multiplicity of conveyor cabins or lift cabins which form a chain and which can be swiveled in a rotation movement about the rotation axis. In this embodiment example it is particularly advantageous if the guide rings have a sliding block guide.
The at least one receiver compartment can comprise a deposit device with a deposit surface which is arranged rotationally mobile in the receiver region such that the deposit surface is oriented parallel to a passenger and/or freight deck of the aircraft irrespective of the position of the receiver compartment relative to the guide ring. To this extent it would be possible to store in this ring food, drinks, coffee machines, cookers etc. without the objects being tilted on displacement of the receiver compartments.
The lift can be formed such that at least one receiver compartment can be brought into at least one receiving position opposite one of the openings for loading and/or unloading, and the receiver compartment can be moved in relation to the receiving position by at least 45°, in particular at least 90°, in particular at least 120°, in particular at least 160°, in particular at least 180° along the guide ring. Where the swivel angle on movement of the respective receiver compartment is relatively low, this guarantees that the objects introduced are not tilted excessively. To this extent for example drinks, food or delicate items could be arranged or integrated in the receiver compartments.
The lift can have a freight administration device with at least one input device to detect a code preferably allocated to the freight item, wherein the freight administration device is adapted such that after input of a code, it identifies the freight item and/or receiver compartment allocated to the code and controls at least the lift such that the corresponding receiver compartment is brought into a/the receiving position for unloading the receiver compartment. To this extent it is possible for the lift to be controlled electronically, wherein each passenger independently can deposit his own freight item. The lift serves either to transport the freight item away or to store it until the passenger retrieves the freight item. A corresponding retrieval can take place for example in that the passenger enters a specific code which identifies either himself or the freight item or the receiver compartment used.
The input device can be a read device for an identification device, in particular a passive transponder and/or a 2D and/or 3D code, preferably arranged on or in the freight item. To this extent the lift can independently detect an identification number or identification code allocated to the freight item without the passenger needing to enter this. Retrieval of the freight item is facilitated by the automatic detection of this identification number or identification code.
The freight administration device can be adapted to store, for a freight item placed in the lift, a correlation between a/the code allocated to the freight item and the receiver compartment of the freight item and/or a correlation between a code allocated to a passenger and the receiver compartment. For example it is then possible for the freight administration device to determine the corresponding receiver compartment after input of the code allocated to the freight item and control the lift such that the passenger obtains access to the corresponding receiver compartment.
This object is furthermore achieved by an aircraft segment, in particular a barrel-shaped aircraft segment, which contains a lift as already described. Similar advantages arise as already described in connection with the lift. The lift can be an integral part of the aircraft segment or be installed in this later.
Preferably the lift is dimensioned such that it can fit between the frames of a corresponding aircraft segment. Preferably the guide rings run parallel to these frames. Alternatively the frames can form parts of the guide ring or the entire guide ring. The guide ring can thus serve as a guide for the individual receiver compartments of the lift and serve to stiffen the aircraft construction.
Accordingly the rotation access of the lift can run substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aircraft and/or the aircraft segment.
The aircraft segment can comprise at least one first opening and at least one second opening for loading and/or unloading the lift, wherein the first opening opens into a passenger cabin and the second opening into a cargo hold. To this extent the lift can serve to transport freight items from the passenger cabin to the cargo hold or vice versa. Individual receiver compartments can naturally also be used for longer term storage of freight items.
The aircraft segment can comprise at least one robot with at least one robot arm to remove freight items from the at least one receiver compartment, wherein the robot is preferably arranged in a/the cargo hold. To this extent the lift can deliver freight items from the passenger cabin to the cargo hold so that the robot has access thereto. The robot can according to the invention be used to deposit individual freight items in storage regions or storage containers provided for this.
The aircraft segment can comprise a holder device attached to the ceiling construction and/or wall construction, in particular with at least one linear guide, and a drive unit for moving the robot attached to the holder device, preferably along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft. To this extent the robot can move along the longitudinal direction of the aircraft and thus distribute the freight items over the entire cargo hold. The robot arm can perform further tasks on loading and unloading of freight items.
The robot and/or the cargo hold of the aircraft segment can be adapted as described in German patent application file ref. 102011052299.9.
Said object can furthermore be achieved by a method for stowing freight items from a passenger cabin of an aircraft, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
receiving the freight item in a first receiver compartment of a lift;
swivelling of the receiver compartment about a rotation axis so that a further receiver compartment is ready to receive further freight items in the passenger cabin.